Gov. Rick Perry recently picked him as chairman of a newly reorganized Texas Water Development Board, which oversees billions of dollars in funding for reservoirs, pipelines and other water-supply projects.

The consensus in the hydraulic brotherhood - irrigators, engineers, biologists, lawyers and environmentalists - is that Perry has chosen judiciously, selecting an experienced tactician who is well-versed in the state's water fights to lead an agency that was seen as ineffectual by some lawmakers.

The appointment is "a positive sign for the future" of the new water board, said Ken Kramer, a water policy expert for the Sierra Club's Lone Star chapter.

Related

The board, which will be paid for the first time in state history, will include current Texas Lottery Commission Chairwoman Mary Ann Williamson and Bech Bruun, who now works as Perry's director of government appointments.

They replace a board of six volunteers. Each board member will make $150,000 annually.

Some key lawmakers pushed for the change before voters consider Proposition 6, which would draw $2 billion from the state's rainy day fund to help build a new round of water-supply projects. The shift would professionalize the board in time to manage a larger portfolio, state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, said during the legislative session.

Enter Rubinstein, who will join the water board Sept. 1.

River 'gives life'

He arrives by way of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, where he has served on its three-member board as a Perry appointee since 2009. While its regulatory portfolio includes air and land, Rubinstein focused primarily on water - an interest that goes back to his days inspecting water quality in the Rio Grande for the state.

Rubinstein later became the state's Rio Grande water master, making him responsible for allocating, monitoring and controlling the use of the river. He is also a former city manager of Brownsville.

"I'm from the Rio Grande Valley, and the river is the sole source of water," Rubinstein said. "It gives life. When you recognize that, and are charged with managing and protecting it, that develops a passion for water."

One of the water board's first tasks will be to prioritize the 562 projects listed in the state's long-range water-supply plan, which some lawmakers say now resembles a Christmas wish list.

More Information

Carlos Rubinstein

Position: Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board

Age: 54

Education: Bachelor of science degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Texas-Pan American

Experience: Member of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Rio Grande water master, Brownsville city manager

Family: Wife, Judy; three daughters; three granddaughters

Rubinstein said the process will begin at the regional level, with the state board providing guidance on the financial and regulatory obstacles each project faces.

He also said the board will push conservation, as well as other strategies, such as desalination, to satisfy the state's growing thirst. "When it comes to water, there are several answers, and they change from region to region, and that's perfectly OK," he said.

Some agricultural interests have raised concerns that the water board will favor cities and industry over rural interests when ranking projects. None of the new commissioners has a farming background.

On farming: 'I get it'

But Jay Bragg, a Texas Farm Bureau official, said that while the group wanted an agriculturalist on the water board, "we have a lot of confidence in Carlos," based on his previous work as the Rio Grande water master and as a state environmental commissioner.

A recent Texas A&M University study showed that the loss of irrigation water for agriculture would cost 4,800 jobs and $396 million in revenue in the Rio Grande Valley alone, Rubinstein said.

"When there is a water shortage, the single user group most affected is agriculture," he said. "I already lived that for nine years (in the Rio Grande basin), so I get it."

Translator

To read this article in one of Houston's most-spoken languages, click on the button below.